liáng jiǔ ， lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， zì jǐ yuán xiān de shè xiǎng tài měi hǎo le xiē ， suī rán rú jīn zì jǐ yǐ jīng bù rù le gāo jiē xiū shì de háng liè ， dàn yǐ níng dān qī chū qī de jìng jiè ， jǐn jǐn néng gòu xiū liàn tiān mó guǐ shī shù de dì èr céng ér yǐ 。
良久，林轩叹了口气，自己原先的设想太美好了些，虽然如今自己已经步入了高阶修士的行列，但以凝丹期初期的境界，仅仅能够修炼天魔鬼尸术的第二层而已。
After a long while, Lin Xuan sighed. His original plan had been too idealistic. Although he was now an advanced cultivator, with only the initial stage of Condensation Core cultivation, he could barely practice the second level of Devil Corpse Technique.
ér dì èr céng ， bìng bù zú yǐ cāo kòng qiān nián shī wáng zhè yàng de guài wù 。
而第二层，并不足以操控千年尸王这样的怪物。
The second level wasn't enough to control such a monster as a thousand-year-old corpse king. To achieve this power, one must advance to the late stage of Condensation Core and master the third level of the technique.
xiǎng yào yǒu cǐ shén tōng ， bì xū bù rù níng dān hòu qī ， liàn chéng cǐ mì shù de dì sān céng cái kě yǐ 。
想要有此神通，必须步入凝丹后期，练成此秘术的第三层才可以。
Indeed, if an initial-stage cultivator could command a mid-stage corpse king, that would be too overpowered.
xiǎng xiǎng yě shì ， fǒu zé yǐ chū qī jìng jiè de xiū wèi ， jiù néng cāo kòng xiāng dāng yú zhōng qī jìng jiè de shī wáng ， nà yàng wèi miǎn yě tài nì tiān le xiē 。
想想也是，否则以初期境界的修为，就能操控相当于中期境界的尸王，那样未免也太逆天了些。
After some hesitation, Lin Xuan decided not to practice this technique. Since he couldn't control the corpse king, there was no point in practicing it.
yóu yù le yī xià ， lín xuān bìng méi yǒu xiū liàn cǐ shén tōng ， jì rán bù néng kòng zhì shī wáng ， nà me liàn le yì yì yě bù dà 。
犹豫了一下，林轩并没有修炼此神通，既然不能控制尸王，那么练了意义也不大。
The second and first levels were different; while they weren’t as profound as one might think, mastering them wasn’t easy either. Lin Xuan didn’t have time to waste.
yào zhī dào dì èr céng yǔ dì yī céng bù tóng ， suī bù néng shuō gāo shēn mò cè ， dàn yě bú shì qīng yì jiù néng gòu liàn chéng de ， lín xuān xiàn zài kě méi yǒu nà me duō shí jiān dān gē 。
要知道第二层与第一层不同，虽不能说高深莫测，但也不是轻易就能够练成的，林轩现在可没有那么多时间耽搁。
Instead, he would focus on other techniques that could boost his strength more effectively.
yǔ qí rú cǐ ， hái bù rú xiū liàn qí tā de yī xiē fǎ shù 。
与其如此，还不如修炼其他的一些法术。
With this thought, Lin Xuan immersed his spirit into the jade cylinder. The Nine Heavens True Art was divided into upper, middle, and lower sections. After entering the Condensation Core stage, he finally had access to the second phase.
nà yàng ， duì zì jǐ zēng qiáng shí lì gèng yǒu bāng zhù 。
那样，对自己增强实力更有帮助。
Soon, a practical technique caught his eye: Nine Heavens Spirit Shield!
niàn jí zhì cǐ ， lín xuān jiāng shén shí chén rù yù tǒng ， jiǔ tiān xuán gōng fēn wéi shàng zhōng xià sān piān ， jìn rù níng dān qī yǐ hòu ， tā zhōng yú kě yǐ xiū liàn dì èr jiē duàn 。
念及至此，林轩将神识沉入玉筒，九天玄功分为上中下三篇，进入凝丹期以后，他终于可以修炼第二阶段。
At first glance, this technique seemed similar to Qi Shield, but its power far surpassed that of Qi Shield. The latter was simple to learn and quick to activate, forming almost instantly upon a mere thought.
hěn kuài ， yí gè shí yòng de fǎ shù jiù jìn rù le lín xuān de yǎn lián 。
很快，一个实用的法术就进入了林轩的眼帘。
It was a basic defensive technique for cultivators.
jiǔ tiān líng dùn ！
九天灵盾！
However, it had significant weaknesses; it was too fragile. While useful against lower-stage opponents, facing peers meant even ordinary attacks posed a challenge.
chū yī kàn 。 cǐ fǎ shù yǔ líng lì hù dùn pǒ wèi xiāng sì 。 rán ér liǎng zhě dì wēi lì què bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ 。 líng lì hù dùn dì tè diǎn shì jiǎn dān yì xué 。 qiě qǐ dòng sù dù kuài 。 jī hū shì xīn niàn yī dòng 。 jiù néng zài tǐ wài chéng xíng 。
初一看。此法术与灵力护盾颇为相似。然而两者地威力却不可同日而语。灵力护盾地特点是简单易学。且启动速度快。几乎是心念一动。就能在体外成型。
Thus, Lin Xuan decided he needed to go to the market to buy materials. He had nearly seven thousand crystals in his storage bag, enough to indulge himself.
shǔ yú xiū shì bì bèi dì jī chǔ fáng yù fǎ jué 。
属于修士必备地基础防御法诀。
Lin Xuan then turned his gaze to another jade cylinder. This one was black, with some ancient patterns carved on both ends but otherwise unremarkable.
rán ér dì quē diǎn yě hěn míng xiǎn 。 tài guò cuì ruò 。 duì fù bǐ zì jǐ dī jiē dì xiū shì hái kě yǐ 。 miàn duì tóng jiē dì duì shǒu 。 bié shuō quán lì yī jī 。 jiù suàn shì pǔ tōng dì gōng jī 。 néng fǒu jiē xià lái dōu hái shì wèn tí 。
然而地缺点也很明显。太过脆弱。对付比自己低阶地修士还可以。面对同阶地对手。别说全力一击。就算是普通地攻击。能否接下来都还是问题。
He had acquired this from a commoner named Wu Li when purchasing ingredients for the Seven-Heart Pill. His father was also a cultivator who accidentally came across this cylinder but couldn’t open it and died in frustration.
suǒ yǐ cǐ fǎ shù zài dī jiē xiū shì zhōng hái suàn shèng xíng 。 níng dān chéng gōng dì gāo jiē xiū shì jiù hěn shǎo yòng le 。 miàn duì fǎ bǎo dì gōng jī 。 líng lì hù dùn yǒu rú zhǐ hú 。
所以此法术在低阶修士中还算盛行。凝丹成功地高阶修士就很少用了。面对法宝地攻击。灵力护盾有如纸糊。
Lin Xuan bought it out of respect for his father's efforts, suspecting that this might not be an ordinary item. He had tried to decipher its contents several times, but his attempts were futile; his spirit force was immediately blocked whenever he approached the cylinder.
rán ér jiǔ tiān líng dùn zé bù tóng 。 kě yǐ shuō shì wán quán jì chéng le líng lì hù dùn fǎ lì xiāo hào dī 。 qǐ dòng sù dù kuài dì yōu diǎn 。 tóng shí zài fáng yù lì fāng miàn 。 zé zuò le jí dà dì gǎi jìn 。
然而九天灵盾则不同。可以说是完全继承了灵力护盾法力消耗低。启动速度快地优点。同时在防御力方面。则做了极大地改进。
Back then, Lin Xuan was focused on cultivating and wouldn’t waste time on such matters. Now, with his Condensation Core-stage spirit force, which was much stronger than a Foundation Establishment cultivator's, he decided to give it another try.
jí shǐ yǔ yī xiē zhī míng dì dì jiē fáng yù fǎ shù xiāng bǐ 。 yě háo bù xùn sè 。 shèn zhì gèng shèng yī chóu 。 kě nà xiē fǎ shù 。 shī zhǎn dì sù dù nǎ néng yǔ jiǔ tiān líng dùn xiāng bǐ 。
即使与一些知名地地阶防御法术相比。也毫不逊色。甚至更胜一筹。可那些法术。施展地速度哪能与九天灵盾相比。
He placed the jade cylinder flat in his palm and released his spirit force, slowly enveloping it. His expression soon turned serious as he touched the surface of the cylinder and was immediately repelled.
lín xuān zhōng yú tǐ huì dào le jiǔ tiān xuán gōng de shén miào zhī chù 。
林轩终于体会到了九天玄功的神妙之处。
Lin Xuan’s face showed some displeasure.
zhè yàng hǎo de fǎ shù zì rán méi yǒu cuò guò de dào lǐ 。
这样好的法术自然没有错过的道理。
"Hmph," he said, strengthening his spirit force. After about an hour, he withdrew it again.
xiū liàn wú suì yuè ， zhuǎn yǎn yòu shì yī nián 。
修炼无岁月，转眼又是一年。
He frowned at the jade cylinder, puzzled by its lack of effect. What was more surprising was that there seemed to be no restrictions on this cylinder; something was still blocking his spirit force.
zhè duàn shí guāng ， yī rán méi yǒu shén me rén lái dǎ rǎo lín xuān ， ér jīng guò shí èr gè yuè de kè kǔ xiū liàn ， suī rán méi yǒu dān yào fǔ zhù ， fǎ lì zēng zhǎng dé bìng bù duō ， dàn níng dān qī dì jìng jiè què shì jí hǎo de wěn dìng xià lái le ， ér qiě lín xuān cóng jiǔ tiān xuán gōng yǔ xuán mó zhēn jīng zhōng tiāo xuǎn chū le shù gè mì shù 。 yī yī xiū liàn chéng gōng yǐ hòu ， rú jīn tā de shí lì ， yǔ jīn dān chū chéng shí yǐ bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ 。
这段时光，依然没有什么人来打扰林轩，而经过十二个月的刻苦修炼，虽然没有丹药辅助，法力增长得并不多，但凝丹期地境界却是极好的稳定下来了，而且林轩从九天玄功与玄魔真经中挑选出了数个秘术。一一修炼成功以后，如今他的实力，与金丹初成时已不可同日而语。
No wonder Wu Li’s father had failed after decades of effort—this cylinder indeed contained some secrets!
yuán běn 。 lín xuān hái xiǎng zhì zuò yī xiē dì jiē líng fú ， bì jìng bù rù níng dān qī yǐ hòu ， yǐ qián suǒ jī zǎn xià lái de fú kě yǐ shuō quán dōu wú yòng ， ér zì jǐ de chǔ wù dài lǐ ， hái yǒu yí gè gǔ xiū shì zhì fú shù de yù tǒng 。
原本。林轩还想制作一些地阶灵符，毕竟步入凝丹期以后，以前所积攒下来的符可以说全都无用，而自己的储物袋里，还有一个古修士制符术的玉筒。
Lin Xuan pondered for a moment before lifting the jade cylinder and casting a levitation spell with both hands. He then cast several spells, and minutes later, the cylinder finally responded, emitting a blue glow.
yǔ pǔ tōng de zhì fú shù xiāng bǐ ， yòng gǔ xiū shì zhī fǎ zhì zuò chū lái de líng fú wēi lì yào dà dé duō 。
与普通的制符术相比，用古修士之法制作出来的灵符威力要大得多。
Lin Xuan was delighted, pouring more spirit force into it. However, after a short while, the light dimmed again, and the cylinder returned to its circular shape.
rán ér lín xuān jiāng shén shí chén rù yù tǒng jiǎn ， jiāng zhì fú shù cū lüè liú lǎn yī biàn zhī hòu ， què méi tóu dà zhòu ， dì jiē líng fú yǔ rén jiē fú kě shì dà bù xiāng tóng 。 zhì zuò suǒ suǒ xū yào de cái liào yào zhēn guì dé duō ， zì jǐ shǒu lǐ kě shì yì diǎn yě méi yǒu 。
然而林轩将神识沉入玉筒简，将制符术粗略浏览一遍之后，却眉头大皱，地阶灵符与人阶符可是大不相同。制作所所需要的材料要珍贵得多，自己手里可是一点也没有。
Even Lin Xuan’s composure couldn’t hide his frustration; he almost wanted to smash the cylinder but restrained himself.
hǎo zài fāng shì zhōng dào yě néng gòu mǎi dé dào ， jiù shì jià qián jí guì bà le ！
好在坊市中倒也能够买得到，就是价钱极贵罢了！
This item was frustrating, but Lin Xuan believed that the harder it was to open, the more remarkable the secrets within.
bù guò lín xuān bù zài yì ， tā qīng diǎn le yī xià zì jǐ dì chǔ wù dài ， guāng shì jīng shí ， jiù yǒu jìn qī wàn zhī duō ， yīng gāi shì zú gòu zì jǐ huī huò 。
不过林轩不在意，他清点了一下自己地储物袋，光是晶石，就有近七万之多，应该是足够自己挥霍。
Putting it aside for now, Lin Xuan used his spirit force to search through his storage bag. He eventually took out a jade pendant about the size of a palm, with an ancient design on its front and a more mysterious pattern on the back, resembling some forgotten script.
kàn lái xū yào qù fāng shì mǎi yī xiē cái liào le 。
看来需要去坊市买一些材料了。
He had found this in Stream Leap Canyon along with Nine Heavens True Art. The function was known: it could absorb beast souls to replenish spirit talismans.
lín xuān zhè yàng xiǎng zhe ， mù guāng què yòu luò zài le lìng wài yí gè yù tǒng zhī shàng ， cóng biǎo miàn shàng kàn 。 zhè ge yù tǒng hēi hū hū de ， chú le liǎng tóu kè yǒu yī xiē gǔ piáo de huā wén yǐ wài ， háo bù qǐ yǎn 。
林轩这样想着，目光却又落在了另外一个玉筒之上，从表面上看。这个玉筒黑乎乎的，除了两头刻有一些古朴的花纹以外，毫不起眼。
While useful, compared to the Nine Heavens True Art, which was among the best techniques, its value was far less. Lin Xuan suspected there might be other uses for this pendant but hadn’t discovered them yet.
cǐ wù shì lín xuān dāng chū qù fāng shì gòu mǎi qī xīn dān dì yuán liào zhī shí ， cóng yí gè míng jiào “ wú lì ” de fán rén shǒu zhōng gòu dé 。
此物是林轩当初去坊市购买七心丹地原料之时，从一个名叫“吴立”的凡人手中购得。
He held the pendant and stared at the mysterious script on the back, lost in thought. Suddenly, his face changed as he turned to look at the jade cylinder beside him.
tā fù qīn yě shì xiū zhēn zhě ， wú yì jiān dé dào le zhè ge yù tǒng jiǎn ， què yì zhí méi yǒu bàn fǎ dǎ kāi ， yù yù ér zhōng 。
他父亲也是修真者，无意间得到了这个玉筒简，却一直没有办法打开，郁郁而终。
If he hadn't sensed it incorrectly, the pendant seemed to resonate with the cylinder.
lín xuān wèi tā xiào xīn suǒ gǎn ， tóng shí cāi xiǎng cǐ yù tǒng duō bàn bú shì fán wù ， gù ér cóng tā shǒu lǐ mǎi le xià lái 。
林轩为他孝心所感，同时猜想此玉筒多半不是凡物，故而从他手里买了下来。
After some hesitation, Lin Xuan switched the pendant to his right hand while grabbing the cylinder with his left and pouring spirit force into it…
qí jiān 。 lín xuān yě céng jīng yán jiū guò jǐ cì 。 rán ér dōu méi yǒu jié guǒ ， shén shí zhǐ yào yī jiē jìn zhè yù tǒng 。 jiù lì kè bèi píng bì le 。
其间。林轩也曾经研究过几次。然而都没有结果，神识只要一接近这玉筒。就立刻被屏蔽了。
Soon, the pendant began to glow, emitting a blue light that shot out from its surface. The light struck the cylinder, causing it to tremble violently, almost slipping from his grasp.
dāng shí ， lín xuān máng zhe chōng jí jié dān ， zì rán bù yuàn yì zài zhè shàng miàn duō làng fèi shí jiān ， rú jīn zì jǐ zhōng yú rú yuàn yǐ cháng ， ér níng dān qī de shén shí ， kě shì yǔ zhù jī qī dà bù yí yàng ， qiě lín xuān zì fù zài zhè fāng miàn ， yuǎn shèng tóng jiē xiū shì ， cǐ kè ， zì rán yào shì shàng yī shì 。
当时，林轩忙着冲级结丹，自然不愿意在这上面多浪费时间，如今自己终于如愿以偿，而凝丹期的神识，可是与筑基期大不一样，且林轩自负在这方面，远胜同阶修士，此刻，自然要试上一试。
Lin Xuan was startled but pleased. He took a deep breath, clenching his fingers tightly around the cylinder. Under the blue light emitted by the pendant, the cylinder began to change.
jiāng yù tǒng jiǎn píng fàng zài zhǎng xīn zhī shàng ， lín xuān fàng chū shén shí ， huǎn huǎn de jiāng qí bāo guǒ ， hěn kuài ， biǎo qíng jiù biàn dé níng zhòng qǐ lái 。
将玉筒简平放在掌心之上，林轩放出神识，缓缓的将其包裹，很快，表情就变得凝重起来。
The black color on its surface receded like an ebbing tide, revealing a fresh green hue similar to that of young bamboo.
yī rán shì yī chù dào yù tǒng de biǎo miàn ， jiù bèi fǎn tán le huí lái 。
依然是一触到玉筒的表面，就被反弹了回来。
This process lasted about half an hour until the entire cylinder turned green, and the blue light from the pendant stopped.
lín xuān de liǎn sè ， yǒu xiē nán kàn 。
林轩的脸色，有些难看。
Lin Xuan carefully examined it but found no issues. He then reinserted his spirit force, which this time passed without obstruction, allowing him to enter as easily as a regular jade cylinder.
“ hēng ” le yī shēng ， shén shí jiā qiáng ， yuē yí gè shí chén yǐ hòu ， què jiāng qí shōu le huí lái 。
“哼”了一声，神识加强，约一个时辰以后，却将其收了回来。
After about half an hour, Lin Xuan looked up with a look of sheer joy on his face. He hadn’t expected the contents of the cylinder to be so extraordinary—Warrior Armor Technique!
kàn zhe yù tǒng ， méi tóu jǐn suǒ 。
看着玉筒，眉头紧锁。
Legend had it that in the ancient times a million years ago, cultivators' powers far surpassed those of today. They possessed many incredible memories, and Warrior Armor Technique was one of them.
jū rán méi yǒu yì diǎn xiào guǒ ， gèng ràng lín xuān chà yì de shì ， zhè yù tǒng biǎo miàn ， bìng bù xiàng shè yǒu jìn zhì de yàng zi ， yě bù zhī dào jiū jìng shì shén me dōng xī ， zài píng bì zì jǐ de shén shí 。
居然没有一点效果，更让林轩诧异的是，这玉筒表面，并不像设有禁制的样子，也不知道究竟是什么东西，在屏蔽自己的神识。
A warrior armor, as its name suggests, served as protective gear like a suit of armor for a weapon. While a magical artifact focused on offense, a warrior armor emphasized defense, equally important.
nán guài nà wú lì dì fù qīn yán jiū le jǐ shí nián yě méi yǒu jié guǒ ， zhè yù tǒng jiǎn ， què shí yǒu nà me jǐ fēn mén dào ó ！
难怪那吴立地父亲研究了几十年也没有结果，这玉筒简，确实有那么几分门道哦！
However, over time, the methods to create magical artifacts were preserved, but how to make warrior armors was lost.
chén yín le yī xià ， lín xuān jiāng pāo zài kōng zhōng ， xiān shì shī zhǎn le yí gè piāo fú shù ， rán hòu shuāng shǒu huī dòng ， jǐ dào fǎ jué dǎ chū 。
沉吟了一下，林轩将抛在空中，先是施展了一个漂浮术，然后双手挥动，几道法诀打出。
While modern cultivators occasionally crafted precious inner armors using rare materials, they lacked the ancient warrior armors' power and versatility.
shù fēn zhōng hòu ， yù tǒng jiǎn zhōng yú yǒu le fǎn yìng ， wū wū de míng xiǎng qǐ lái ， shàng miàn yǐn yǐn hái yǒu lán sè de guāng yùn 。
数分钟后，玉筒简终于有了反应，呜呜的鸣响起来，上面隐隐还有蓝色的光晕。
Ancient warriors’ armors functioned like magical artifacts, bonded with their owners' minds. They could be stored within the body and activated by divine intent during combat.
lín xuān xīn zhōng yī xǐ ， jì xù zhù rù líng lì ， rán ér piàn kè hòu ， lán guāng què yòu àn dàn le xià qù ， yù tǒng jiǎn huī fù le yuán xíng 。
林轩心中一喜，继续注入灵力，然而片刻后，蓝光却又黯淡了下去，玉筒简恢复了圆形。
Their defensive capabilities far exceeded those of modern inner armors, and some techniques even benefited from them.
jí biàn yǐ lín xuān de chéng fǔ ， yě bù yóu lù chū le ào nǎo zhī jí de shén sè ， jī hū yǒu jiāng zhè yù tǒng jiǎn hěn hěn zá suì de chōng dòng le ， dāng rán ， zuì hòu lín xuān hái shì rěn zhù le 。
即便以林轩的城府，也不由露出了懊恼之极的神色，几乎有将这玉筒简狠狠砸碎的冲动了，当然，最后林轩还是忍住了。
In ancient times, they were as valuable as magical artifacts and possessed only by Condensation Core cultivators.
cǐ wù shì yǒu xiē qì rén ， bù guò lín xuān xiāng xìn yuè nán dǎ kāi ， lǐ miàn suǒ yǐn cáng de mì mì yuè jīng rén 。
此物是有些气人，不过林轩相信越难打开，里面所隐藏的秘密越惊人。
Unfortunately, the methods had been lost, leaving only a few surviving examples, much like ancient treasures but in smaller numbers.
zǒng zhī ， lín xuān bù rèn wéi zhè huì shì yī jiàn fèi wù 。
总之，林轩不认为这会是一件废物。
While high-level immortals weren’t considered, most cultivators with mid-stage Condensation Core cultivation usually had one or two ancient treasures, unless it was their main magical artifact.
jiāng zàn shí fàng dào yī biān 。
将暂时放到一边。
As for this warrior armor, Lin Xuan knew that among the four high-ranking immortals of Youzhou, only two possessed them: the Extreme Evil Venerable and the Supreme Elder of Great Canyon. They had both obtained theirs by chance from ancient cultivator ruins.
suí hòu ， lín xuān yòu yòng shén shí zài chǔ wù dài zhōng fān zhǎo qǐ lái 。
随后，林轩又用神识在储物袋中翻找起来。
This jade cylinder in his possession contained the method to create such warriors' armors.
After a long while, Lin Xuan sighed. His original plan had been too idealistic. Although he was now an advanced cultivator, with only the initial stage of Condensation Core cultivation, he could barely practice the second level of Devil Corpse Technique.
The second level wasn't enough to control such a monster as a thousand-year-old corpse king. To achieve this power, one must advance to the late stage of Condensation Core and master the third level of the technique.
Indeed, if an initial-stage cultivator could command a mid-stage corpse king, that would be too overpowered.
After some hesitation, Lin Xuan decided not to practice this technique. Since he couldn't control the corpse king, there was no point in practicing it.
The second and first levels were different; while they weren’t as profound as one might think, mastering them wasn’t easy either. Lin Xuan didn’t have time to waste.
Instead, he would focus on other techniques that could boost his strength more effectively.
With this thought, Lin Xuan immersed his spirit into the jade cylinder. The Nine Heavens True Art was divided into upper, middle, and lower sections. After entering the Condensation Core stage, he finally had access to the second phase.
Soon, a practical technique caught his eye: Nine Heavens Spirit Shield!
At first glance, this technique seemed similar to Qi Shield, but its power far surpassed that of Qi Shield. The latter was simple to learn and quick to activate, forming almost instantly upon a mere thought.
It was a basic defensive technique for cultivators.
However, it had significant weaknesses; it was too fragile. While useful against lower-stage opponents, facing peers meant even ordinary attacks posed a challenge.
Thus, Lin Xuan decided he needed to go to the market to buy materials. He had nearly seven thousand crystals in his storage bag, enough to indulge himself.
Lin Xuan then turned his gaze to another jade cylinder. This one was black, with some ancient patterns carved on both ends but otherwise unremarkable.
He had acquired this from a commoner named Wu Li when purchasing ingredients for the Seven-Heart Pill. His father was also a cultivator who accidentally came across this cylinder but couldn’t open it and died in frustration.
Lin Xuan bought it out of respect for his father's efforts, suspecting that this might not be an ordinary item. He had tried to decipher its contents several times, but his attempts were futile; his spirit force was immediately blocked whenever he approached the cylinder.
Back then, Lin Xuan was focused on cultivating and wouldn’t waste time on such matters. Now, with his Condensation Core-stage spirit force, which was much stronger than a Foundation Establishment cultivator's, he decided to give it another try.
He placed the jade cylinder flat in his palm and released his spirit force, slowly enveloping it. His expression soon turned serious as he touched the surface of the cylinder and was immediately repelled.
Lin Xuan’s face showed some displeasure.
"Hmph," he said, strengthening his spirit force. After about an hour, he withdrew it again.
He frowned at the jade cylinder, puzzled by its lack of effect. What was more surprising was that there seemed to be no restrictions on this cylinder; something was still blocking his spirit force.
No wonder Wu Li’s father had failed after decades of effort—this cylinder indeed contained some secrets!
Lin Xuan pondered for a moment before lifting the jade cylinder and casting a levitation spell with both hands. He then cast several spells, and minutes later, the cylinder finally responded, emitting a blue glow.
Lin Xuan was delighted, pouring more spirit force into it. However, after a short while, the light dimmed again, and the cylinder returned to its circular shape.
Even Lin Xuan’s composure couldn’t hide his frustration; he almost wanted to smash the cylinder but restrained himself.
This item was frustrating, but Lin Xuan believed that the harder it was to open, the more remarkable the secrets within.
Putting it aside for now, Lin Xuan used his spirit force to search through his storage bag. He eventually took out a jade pendant about the size of a palm, with an ancient design on its front and a more mysterious pattern on the back, resembling some forgotten script.
He had found this in Stream Leap Canyon along with Nine Heavens True Art. The function was known: it could absorb beast souls to replenish spirit talismans.
While useful, compared to the Nine Heavens True Art, which was among the best techniques, its value was far less. Lin Xuan suspected there might be other uses for this pendant but hadn’t discovered them yet.
He held the pendant and stared at the mysterious script on the back, lost in thought. Suddenly, his face changed as he turned to look at the jade cylinder beside him.
If he hadn't sensed it incorrectly, the pendant seemed to resonate with the cylinder.
After some hesitation, Lin Xuan switched the pendant to his right hand while grabbing the cylinder with his left and pouring spirit force into it…
Soon, the pendant began to glow, emitting a blue light that shot out from its surface. The light struck the cylinder, causing it to tremble violently, almost slipping from his grasp.
Lin Xuan was startled but pleased. He took a deep breath, clenching his fingers tightly around the cylinder. Under the blue light emitted by the pendant, the cylinder began to change.
The black color on its surface receded like an ebbing tide, revealing a fresh green hue similar to that of young bamboo.
This process lasted about half an hour until the entire cylinder turned green, and the blue light from the pendant stopped.
Lin Xuan carefully examined it but found no issues. He then reinserted his spirit force, which this time passed without obstruction, allowing him to enter as easily as a regular jade cylinder.
After about half an hour, Lin Xuan looked up with a look of sheer joy on his face. He hadn’t expected the contents of the cylinder to be so extraordinary—Warrior Armor Technique!
Legend had it that in the ancient times a million years ago, cultivators' powers far surpassed those of today. They possessed many incredible memories, and Warrior Armor Technique was one of them.
A warrior armor, as its name suggests, served as protective gear like a suit of armor for a weapon. While a magical artifact focused on offense, a warrior armor emphasized defense, equally important.
However, over time, the methods to create magical artifacts were preserved, but how to make warrior armors was lost.
While modern cultivators occasionally crafted precious inner armors using rare materials, they lacked the ancient warrior armors' power and versatility.
Ancient warriors’ armors functioned like magical artifacts, bonded with their owners' minds. They could be stored within the body and activated by divine intent during combat.
Their defensive capabilities far exceeded those of modern inner armors, and some techniques even benefited from them.
In ancient times, they were as valuable as magical artifacts and possessed only by Condensation Core cultivators.
Unfortunately, the methods had been lost, leaving only a few surviving examples, much like ancient treasures but in smaller numbers.
While high-level immortals weren’t considered, most cultivators with mid-stage Condensation Core cultivation usually had one or two ancient treasures, unless it was their main magical artifact.
As for this warrior armor, Lin Xuan knew that among the four high-ranking immortals of Youzhou, only two possessed them: the Extreme Evil Venerable and the Supreme Elder of Great Canyon. They had both obtained theirs by chance from ancient cultivator ruins.
This jade cylinder in his possession contained the method to create such warriors' armors.